David Hernandez Has Auditioned For Rent

Well, its true what they say: all publicity is good publicity. David Hernandez crashed out of American Idol amid a flurry of gossip about his past as a stripper, and he has already auditioned for one of the biggest shows on Broadway.

OK! can reveal that David, 24, tried out for one of the lead roles in Rent this week in New York. But insiders tell us that while the casting directors loved his voice, they think his lack of stage experience means he's not quite ready for such a major part.

David, from Glendale, AZ, flew into town on Monday to sing for the part of Roger Davis, a HIV positive musician -- a role made famous by Adam Pascal.

But after seeing him perform, the show's bosses said that David, who has no professional acting experience, needs to clock up a few hours on stage before he is ready to play Roger, one of the most prized gigs on Broadway.

A Rent insider said: "That isn't to say that David won't be playing any part in the show -- there's smaller roles that he might be perfect for."

The smash hit show was due to close after a 12 year run on 1st June, but producers have already announced that the final performance is to be pushed back until 7th September.

David would have played Roger during that extension period, making him the last actor to tackle the famous troubled musician.

Since being booted from Idol after a poorly received version of the Beatles's I Saw Her Standing There, David has said that he hopes to follow previous Idol contestants onto Broadway. Season two finalist Clay Aiken is currently playing Sir Robin in Spamalot, while season three winner Fantasia Barrino picked up several awards for her run as Celie in the Color Purple.

If he does bag a role, David would join the season one American Idol finalist Tamyra Gray, who currently plays the female lead, Mimi, in the Broadway production of Rent.